Learn to Read a Pest Inspection Report

It’s smart to have a home and pest inspection when buying or selling a home.

A pest inspection is performed by a state licensed inspector who looks for rot and bugs that cause damage to wood. The report helps determine the condition of the home.

High priority stuff are identified as Section 1 damage. This means wood is damaged and and/or infestation of bugs is present. Examples are exterior siding or a bathroom floor that has evidence of dry rot/fungus/deterioration.

Costs vary depending upon severity, the age and size of the home, and accessibility repair damage. Rot in bathrooms can be expensive to fix since it may require installation of a new shower/tub or flooring. If a fumigation is recommended (the circus tent over the house), or a chemical treat to kill termites or dry wood beetles, get ready to pay into the thousands of dollars.

When reviewing a report, check out the bid page and total cost of Section 1 item. Then take a look at the full explanation of each item discovered so you understand what the damage is. Also check to see if they recommend further inspections.

A few things to remember:

Pest Inspectors only identify and bid on issues they can see. If during the time of repair additional rot is discovered behind previously covered areas, then an additional report and bid will be generated to remove those newly discovered damages.

Pest Inspectors often refer plumbing and roofing repairs to licensed contractors specializing in those fields. For example, if a floor is damaged because of a leaky faucet, they will not provide a bid to fix the leak since they are not plumbers.

Using a pest company or a contractor who is experienced with dry rot removal is important! All rot must be removed in order to “clear” the property and provide a certification. Open frame inspections (inside/behind walls) should be performed when recommended on the report.

Damages caused by rot and pests can require costly repairs that may affect home value. A pest inspection helps buyers and sellers better understand the property condition to prevent major surprises after final close.

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